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Beyond Architecture: Architecture's Alternative Role in Architecture Image

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Beyond Architecture: Architecture's Alternative Role in Architecture Image Syracuse University SURFACE School of Architecture Dissertations and Architecture Senior Theses Theses Spring 2019 Beyond Architecture: Architecture’s alternative role in architecture image Zexi Tang Syracuse University Follow this and additional works at: https://surface.syr.edu/architecture_theses Part of the Architecture Commons Recommended Citation Tang, Zexi, "Beyond Architecture: Architecture’s alternative role in architecture image" (2019). Architecture Senior Theses. 458. https://surface.syr.edu/architecture_theses/458 This Thesis, Senior is brought to you for free and open access by the School of Architecture Dissertations and Theses at SURFACE. It has been accepted for inclusion in Architecture Senior Theses by an authorized administrator of SURFACE. For more information, please contact [email protected]. ABSTRACT Images/drawings of architecture primarily act as documentation of structures to help the audience (architects or clients) understand how architecture functions: the sense of space, physical relationship with the context, and circulation through different programs. Nevertheless, architectural images that focus not on functionally determine spaces but rather on an idea or provocation, also play a significant role in the representation of architecture. The role of architecture in these kinds of images can be beyond a shelter or accommodation. It can set up a stage to deliver messages; discuss historical, social, economic or political issues; or to express emotion or desire. Architects/artist have been using architecture images with perplexing spatial qualities as provocative, topical responses to actuality throughout history. For example, in the 18th century, Étienne-Louis Boullée sought to overthrow traditions of architectural drawings and use the drawings to celebrate the greatness of picture, the greatness satisfies human’s soul and eager to extend its joys in every.1 In the 60s, Superstudio used a series of architecture collages to fight against market-driven architecture, and establish their goal to produce a system of infinite multiplications divisions and dimensions.2 Later on, Lebbeus Woods used his prominent drawings to evoke people’s awareness of the provocative characteristic of architecture oppose to its retrospective presentation or documentation purpose.3 As a knowledge of base, this thesis project would research why and how the architects/ artists make the images in certain way to accomplish their expected effect by comparing the chosen images particularly on architects/artists’ decision making on the scale of architecture pieces, not functionally determined spaces, materiality and pictorial perspective of the images and how these decisions result in different effect or affect. This thesis proposal is to call on the audiences (architects and non-professionals) to consider architecture’s alternative role in architecture image beyond retrospective presentation. Also, to engage the audiences in awareness and discussion of the topical communication with the architects/artists. Based on the knowledge to set up a framework for this thesis project. What framework should be set to avoid documentation potentials of architecture? What to resist and or embrace to avoid the architecture image become functionally determined? And eventually, use this framework to produce images with speculative architecture on a ruin with potentially healing necessity as a mean to deliver personal desire of hope and joy and evoke personal responses from the audiences. 1 Boullée, Etienne Louis, Helen Rosenau, and Sheila de Vallée. 1976. Architecture, essay on art. London: Academy Editions. 2 Lang, Peter, 1957, William Menking, and Superstudio (Group). Superstudio: Life without Objects. 1st ed. Milano (Italy); New York, NY; : Skira, 2003. 3 Woods, Lebbeus and International Network for Art and Architecture. Lebbeus Wood: Aeon, the Architecture of Time : A Monograph. Vol. 1, no. 1;1, no. 1.;. New York, N.Y: Express newspaper, 1982. 2 BEYOND ARCHITECTURE -Architecture’s alternative role in architecture image Zexi Tang Advisor: Terrance Goode Secondary advisor: Brian Lonsway Graduation Date: May 2019 Syracuse University School of Architecture 3 Content Abstract 2 Title 3 Thesis Description 5 Kownledge 6-7 Situation 8-10 Project Description 11 Method 12-13 Outcome 14-21 Bibliography 22 4 Images/drawings of architecture can act as documentation of structures and space of buildings to help the audience (architects or clients) understand how architecture functions: the sense of space, physical relationship with the context, and circulation through different programs. Nevertheless, architectural images can also promote an idea or provocation rather than focus on space and use. The role of architecture in these kinds of images can be beyond a shelter or accommodation but to set up a stage to deliver messages; discuss historical, social, economic or political issues; or to express emotion or desire. Architects/artists have been using architectural images with perplexing spatial qualities as provocative, topical responses to actuality throughout history. This thesis project would research and evaluate why and how the architects/artists make the images in a certain way to accomplish their expected effect. Images by four different architects from different periods are chosen to form a matrix by comparing and deconstructing the images by scale, architecture program, pictorial perspective, materiality, composition, and color. From the matrix, different combinations form different frameworks to achieve the expected effects. This thesis proposal is to call on the audiences (architects and non-professionals) to consider architecture’s alternative role in architectural images beyond retrospective presentation. In this project, neither the image nor the architecture is designed to propose solutions. Images have been created in this project not to propose solutions, but to raise awareness. Specifically, the images seek to engage Chinese governors in discussion of Chinese Property Ownership Policy. This policy causes the ongoing demolition and fading of architecture what witness the history and development of China and Chinese architecture which was eventually replaced by mass-produced high-rise residential apartments. To raise awareness of this policy, this thesis is studying how architects/artists through history would construct their drawing; evaluating their images through scale, architecture program, pictorial perspective, materiality, composition, and color. The framework will create an understanding or which approach will best raise awareness of property ownership policy. What framework should be set to accomplish the expected effect? What should be resisted and/or embraced to avoid the image becoming documentation or advertisement of architecture structure or space? Within the framework, how can I make the most powerful statement to emphasize the importance of memories of the architecture being demolished? 5 Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4 author Étienne-Louis Boullée Superstudio Lebbeus Woods Eric Wong year 1784 1969 1981 2016 scale enormous confusing no reference confusing architecture program unclear program unclear program unclear residential building program materiality ink and wash collage pencil digital drawing pictorial section distorted collage perspective perspective distorted collage perspective perspective color B&W true colors B&W coherent warm v color set composition centered one point perspective direct focus fullfilled SCALE the scale of the architecture pieces that are the main characters in the image in comparison to the context and human size. ARCHITECTURE can the audience define the program of the “main character”? How would it evoke PROGRAM different affects from the audiences when the architecture pieces are functionally clear or unclear? MATERIALITY what technique did the architect/artist use to make the image? PICTORIAL how is the image constructed, how do different pictorial perspective help PERSPECTIVE enhance the architecture pieces? COLOR architects/artists’ decision making on the color palate COMPOSITION how the image construction leads the audience’s eyes in order to emphasize the information the architect/artist is delivering [Figure 1. This image is a section drawing of Cenotaph of Newton by Étienne-Louis Boullée. Source from https://gallica.bnf.fr/Bibliothèque nationale de France] [Figure 2. This image is a photomontage from the image series Continuous Monument by Superstudio. Image downloaded from https://www.cristianotoraldodifrancia.it/continuous-monument/] [Figure 3. This image is a drawing from the image series War and Architecture by Lebbeus Woods. Image downloaded from https://www.graphicine.com/lebbeus-woods-war-and-architecture/] [Figure 4. This image is from Eric Wong’s thesis COHESION which proposed blueprint for a re-imagined Britain. Source from http://www.ericwong.co.uk/] 6 ETIENNE LOUIS BOULEE (1784) SUPERSTUDIO (1969) LEBBEUS WOODS (1981) ERIC WONG (2017) SCALE The thickness of the wall, the openness The white gridded box extends Being on its own without The perspective drawing of space, the hanging element from into the city. With the cityscape, any other interaction, the and straight lines make the interior as well as the trees on the the white box seems gigantic. building can be any size as the drawing precise and terrace-like platform on the sides of The scale of people on the new the audience image it would accurate. However, the the building make the audience lose structure does
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